Adhyaya 22 — शिवानुग्रहः, ब्रह्मतपः, एकादशरुद्राः तथा प्राणतत्त्वम्
रोदनात्खलु रुद्रत्वं तेषु वै समजायत ये रुद्रास्ते खलु प्राणा ये प्राणास्ते तदात्मकाः
rodanātkhalu rudratvaṃ teṣu vai samajāyata ye rudrāste khalu prāṇā ye prāṇāste tadātmakāḥ
まことに、彼らの泣き声(ローダナ)によって、彼らのうちにルドラたる状態が生じた。ルドラと呼ばれる者たちは、実に生命の息(プラーナ)であり、そのプラーナはまさにその本性—ルドラ自身の精髄—なのである。
Suta Goswami (narrating the Purva-Bhaga account to the sages, reporting the doctrinal identification of Rudras with prana)
It grounds Linga worship in inner realization: Rudra is not only an external deity but the very prāṇa within the pashu (individual soul), making worship a movement from outer symbol to inner Pati-presence.
It identifies Rudra-hood with the life-force itself—Shiva as the indwelling principle that animates beings; prāṇa is treated as Rudra’s manifestation, pointing to Shiva-tattva as immanent while remaining the supreme Pati.
Prāṇa-sādhana is implied: regulating and contemplating the prāṇas as Rudra supports Pāśupata-oriented yoga, where breath-awareness becomes a means to loosen pāśa (bondage) and turn the pashu toward Pati.